Month: July 2017

The main theme of chapter two of How Soccer Explains the World is religious differences. This chapter discusses Franklin Foer’s experiences with two different soccer teams, the Glasgow Rangers Football Club and the Glasgow Celtic Football Club. The Rangers were once a completely Protestant soccer team, but now only the fan base seems to be made out of mostly loyal Britain Protestants. The Celtic fan base on the other hand is mostly an assembly of Irish Catholics. These two teams represent an unfinished fight that has been going on for a long time, the Protestant Reformation. This fight is about the Protestants trying to reform Catholic beliefs. Because of the reformation, the Protestants and Catholics do not get along very well. This is further proven by the gruesome and hate filled chants they shout to one another at soccer games. The dislike for one another does not stop with just the hateful chants but expands to the use of deadly force. This hate does not end at the stadium, but follows many of the fans home. Most fans have to be careful where they go and watch out where they are when wearing a certain color. These two soccer teams’ fans may be able to shout and display their hate for each other any way they like at the safety of the stadium, but once they get home they must be careful on how they express themselves in order not to appear to be a target for the opposing religious group to attack.

In chapter one of How Soccer Explains the World, nationalism is manifested through the dedication fans have of their country’s soccer team. Soccer is one of the few sports that can be found all over the globe, so fans have a lot of pride for their country’s soccer team. Each teams wishes to show that they are truly the dominant country by having their soccer team win. Some countries show their dedication more than others. The Serbians are a great example of this. The Red Star Belgrade soccer team is a source of great pride for the Serbians, who take soccer very seriously. Gangs have been established to enforce their nation’s belief that their soccer team is superior over the opposing team. Much like an army is used to intimidate other foreign countries, the gangs are used to intimidate opposing foreign teams. The Ultra Bad Boys are a great example of this. Even though this gang does not use guns, they still use violence to enforce their superiority over the other team’s fans. They are so willing to prove their point that they would dress in the opposing team’s jersey and make friends with their fans. Once the game was over, they would take their new friend and violently abuse them. Also this gang likes to show it nationalism toward its soccer team, by having a “big red tattoos of their gang name on their calves” the same color as their countries soccer team. The Serbs show their nationalism by wearing their nation’s soccer team’s color as well as making gangs that enforce their nation’s dominance through violence.

Hi, my name is Samantha Lopez. I am the oldest of three children. I have two younger brothers. Their names are Cross and Trey. Cross is 14 years old, and Trey is 11. I am 17 years old, and I will be a senior this coming year at Sundown High School. I play tuba for the Pride of the Oil Patch Marching Band. I also throw shot put and disc during the spring for the school’s track and field team. I plan to graduate high school and go to South Plains College for a year. After I graduate from South Plains with my associates, I will transfer to Lubbock Christian University where I hope to graduate with a bachelor degree. I plan to get my degree in early childhood education. I love children and am excited by the fact that once I graduate with my degree I can give something as important as education to a child. I want to teach any grade between Pre-K and 3rd grade. I have two dogs. My oldest dog is a five-year old Siberian Husky named Koda, and my other dog is a one year old German Shepherd Lab mix named Buddy. I enjoy reading novels and binge watching Supernatural, Grey’s Anatomy, and Criminal Minds when I have free time. I love listening to all shorts of music. My favorite band to listen to right now is Twenty One Pilots. My favorite type of food is Italian, and my favorite color is purple.